Crash confidential: No tantrums or protests from Australian track great Ralph Doubell

AUSTRALIA'S fastest 800m runner has arrived in London, but won't run at the Games. You can't blame him. He's 67.

The tantrums and protests of Australian track stars John Steffensen and Josh Ross have been put into sharp perspective by the appearance at the Australian flag-bearer's ceremony of Ralph Doubell.

When Doubell sliced through Mexico City's thin air to record a famous victory in the Olympic 800m in 1968, there were two things he could never have predicted.

That his time of 1min 44.4sec, even though it was set at altitude, would still be an Australian record 44 years later and, quite incredibly, Australia would not have a single male runner win Olympic gold in those four decades.

"What surprises me most is that we don't even get people in finals any more,'' Doubell said.

"In the last six Olympics only four Australian men have even made the individual finals on the track, never mind win a medal. We have spent $50 million on the athletes. I'm not sure where it is going.''

On athletes who don't mind a whinge or a threat but hardly set the world on fire, that's where.PRINCE Harry has his first stalker of the Games.

American beach volleyballer April Ross has made it her life's obsession to track down the Prince but has so far found him elusive.

"We have tweeted him, we have stalked him on Facebook,'' she said. "We thought because he was into beach volleyball he would have got back to us but no luck so far.''

Prince Harry is scheduled to appear at the beach volleyball final on August 8 but some royal watching scribes reckon if the US team make it, such is their level of obsession, he might have a sudden dentist's appointment.

GEELONG captain Joel Selwood is obviously held in high esteem by Australia's Olympic athletes.

A good luck message from Selwood where he relayed how "we understand the hardships, triumphs and emotions you have had to undergo'' is pinned up in the village beside ones sent from Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott.

PATTY Mills is a basketball superstar in Australia, but that does not mean he has the new model US Dream Team quaking in their boots.

"Who?'' said American point guard Russell Westbrook when asked about Mills, the San Antonio back-up player.

Later, after some clarification, he added "oh yeah, Patty, I know a little bit.''

BEACH volleyballer Natalie Cook reckons she can make her sixth Olympics ... as a golf caddie.

Cook was disappointed at missing out on the honour of carrying the flag at the opening ceremony but among those to wish her the best for the Games was another north Queensland girl, golf star Karrie Webb.

"Golf will be in the next Olympics at Rio and Karrie wants to go,'' said Cook, a former 10-handicapper.

"I emailed her back saying I would go as her caddie. I'm sure she thought I was joking but I was serious.''

TENNIS great Boris Becker now lives in Britain after his wife declared she had fallen in love with the place and would never leave.

"I've been called Britain's favorite German but to tell the truth I don't think the list is very long,'' Becker said.

Matthew Mitcham tweeted "buuuck, buck, buck, bugerrk (me being chicken)'' because, for once, he was too shy to do the same.

MY OLYMPIC HERO - SUSIE O'NEILL"The Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 were the first I can remember and Jon Sieben winning the 200m butterfly just really inspired me. I was in grade six. I got the poster of him after he touched the wall and it was on the back of my wall for a long time. Just to know he did it sparked my interest and made me think I could do it.''